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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wind — moving air
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bass — low music
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wind — moving air
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com